CSHK encourages workforce mobility with access to 3D modelling BIM from any device, anywhere
Construction
In adopting Nutanix Frame’s Desktop-as-a-Service solution, China State Construction Engineering (Hong Kong) Limited (CSHK) enabled its staff to access and apply Building Information Modeling (BIM) technology from any browser via personal computers in a secure manner without the need for on-site hardware or upgrades. Being able to work remotely as well as at construction sites has led to greater efficiency, making it easy to optimize time and raising the accuracy of project execution.
Nutanix Frame provides an easy, flexible and scalable solution for our BIM implementation. It eliminates the headache of upgrading numerous workstations in short time when a project implements BIM.
The Hong Kong government aims to make BIM usage standard in the construction sector. This powerful technology allows architects, engineers to perform construction in a virtual 3D environment, enabling the team to predict potential issues and conflicts. Under normal circumstances, users would need powerful workstations with sophisticated hardware to run BIM.
However, upgrading workstations is a lengthy and arduous process. It is also not cost effective considering not all staff members are full-time users of BIM. With COVID-19, the need for staff to work remotely was even more challenging.
CSHK decided to adopt Nutanix Frame as the basis for a more flexible mode of working, with the aim of making BIM technology accessible to all who need it. Frame’s cloud-based Desktop-as-a-Service software makes applications available on any device including tablets and from any location, as well as enabling the fast and straightforward creation of virtual workspaces. The virtual desktop infrastructure (VDI) negated the need for powerful workstations while providing the necessary graphics processing unit (GPU) resources to run BIM at full power.
An easier BIM deployment
Through Nutanix Frame, CSHK is able to provide faster and easier BIM implementation for professionals such as designers, architects, engineers and those involved directly in construction onsite. Staff can access and apply BIM technology via any computers (including laptops and pads) without the need to upgrade. In essence, all they require under the new system is an internet connection.
Continuity through Covid-19
By making Frame the foundation of its operations, CSHK pioneered a solution for the wider construction industry during the pandemic. The software meant that staff have been able to perform their tasks in terms of design, project scheduling and collaboration uninterrupted in spite of workforce fragmentation.
A new level of efficiency
The deployment of Frame has made it easier for CSHK to calculate the costs of a project and has reduced expenditure given the need for less IT equipment on-site. Enabling everyone to work on the same platform simultaneously has made project management and IT support more straightforward and reduced the instances of bottlenecks, errors and the need for changes in projects. The ability to access BIM from a tablet device also means that project overseers can monitor construction progress much more easily.
Using BIM from anywhere
In CSHK, BIM training not just means classroom training. Staffs are encouraged to apply BIM to their daily work in their working location. With the Nutanix frame, staffs can practice BIM from anywhere and any computer, making the training much more effective.
“As COVID-19 stabilizes, we plan to continue using Nutanix Frame as a mainstay of our operations,” said Mr. Simon Ng, BIM Director of CSHK. “It is often said that crisis can bring out the best in an organization. In this case, the pandemic prompted us to rethink the way we work, and as a result we have become more efficient. We see this solution helping us to remain at the forefront of our industry while advancing the method of construction in Hong Kong as a whole.”